New Dietary Guidelines: Cut Sugar, Eat More Veggies

[Zippyjuan]

Time for the new five-year update. http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-dietary-guidelines-cut-sugar-eat-more-veggies-n491666

The federal government's new dietary guidelines come out Thursday, after a year of arguments, lobbying and directives from Congress.

For the first time, the guidelines recommend limiting added sugar to 10 percent or less of calories.

They also recommend that people eat more fruit, vegetables and whole wheat and point out most Americans do not eat a healthy diet, are overweight and risk getting heart disease and other illnesses as a result.

The guidelines suggest cutting salt and saturated fat but stop short of telling people to eat less red or processed meat despite the strong evidence that both can cause cancer.

Not everyone will be happy with the final guidelines, which get rewritten every five years, but they are based on sound science, said Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell.

"We want to make things easier and simpler for consumers," Burwell told NBC News. "One of the things we are steering people to is small changes."

Congress directed HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stick to recommendations that are strongly supported by science. There's overwhelming evidence that too much sugar causes diabetes, heart disease and weight gain, Burwell said.

"There's a lot of added sugars in beverages," Burwell said.

Despite heavy lobbying by the food industry, the guidelines — which set the standard for federal food programs such as school lunches and food stamps — also recommend that most people get 2,300 mg of salt a day or less. The average American gets 3,400 mg a day, Burwell said — and that can lead to high blood pressure.

More than 90 percent of children and 89 percent of adults aged 19 and older eat too much sodium, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report released coincide with the new guidelines.

"More than three quarters of sodium in the American diet is estimated to come from processed and restaurant food, which gives consumers little choice when it comes to lowering daily intake," the CDC said. "A key strategy for lowering population-wide sodium intake is gradually reducing sodium in the food supply."

Most people are not going to even be able to get down to consuming just 10 percent of calories from sugar or fat, the report says — not if they are going to fit in enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains, too.

In a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, that means 200 calories from sugar. But a 12-ounce canned soft drink alone has 120-150 calories, all of them from sugar — and most food labels even don't tell people how many calories come from sugar.

"How do you convert grams of sugar to teaspoons?" asked NBC News Health and Nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstrom. "It's not user-friendly at all."

Most Americans get enough protein now, the report says, and males usually get more than they need. What people need more of are vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

"The things that you need to be careful about are sodium, that added sugar and saturated fat," Burwell said.

And the report says consumers, policymakers, the food industry and others need to work together to help Americans eat healthier diets.

Burwell says new food labels coming out this year will help. The Food and Drug Administration plans to require sugar details on labels.

Congress delayed rules to force restaurants to list calorie counts on menus. Some local governments have their own rules; New York city now makes many restaurants list salt content on menus.

HHS and USDA walked a fine line in issuing the guidelines. They considered advice from nutrition and public health experts, food industry experts, farmers and politicians. HHS also considered 29,000 comments submitted by the public.

There are some changes from the recommendations made by a panel of experts almost a year ago. While the new guidelines mention that cholesterol in food isn't necessarily harmful - it doesn't directly raise blood cholesterol - they say people should eat as little cholesterol as possible.

"Often saturated fat and cholesterol do come together," Burwell said. So if people cut saturated fat and sugar, their cholesterol should go down, studies have shown.

The new guidelines also say that caffeine and alcohol appear to be safe in limited amounts, but say no one should start drinking either if they do not do so already.

The report makes clear that Americans will have to change the way they eat to meet the guidelines.

"Today, about half of all American adults—117 million people—have one or more preventable, chronic diseases, many of which are related to poor quality eating patterns and physical inactivity," Burwell and Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack say in an introduction to the report.

"Rates of these chronic, diet-related diseases continue to rise, and they come not only with increased health risks, but also at high cost."

The guidelines also give three diet types to choose from: a typical American diet, a Mediterranean-style diet and a vegetarian diet.

They say a healthy eating pattern includes:

A variety of vegetables: dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy and other vegetables
Fruits, especially whole fruit

Grains, at least half of which are whole grain

Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages

A variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes such as beans and peas, soy products, and nuts and seeds

Oils from plants: canola, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oils, as well as nuts, seeds, seafood, olives, and avocados.

 

[euphemia]

That would be lovely if we could buy or grow what we want. Federal regulation is doing away with traditional seeds and organic farming.

 

[dannno]

Telling people to replace sugar with grains isn't incredibly helpful.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Why? Grains are better for you than sugars. But even with sugars there are differences. Sugars in candy and sodas are bad (at least they offer nothing good). Sugars in fruits come with vitamins and nutrients you need like vitamin C which your body cannot store.

They also added that the average American consumes too much meat which can be harmful for the body.

The key is moderation in all things and variety (don't focus on eating or not eating any single group or category of foods).

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/...-for-all-and-less-meat-for-boys-and-men/?_r=0

The biggest surprise in the guidelines was the conclusion that teenage boys and men were generally consuming too much protein. As a result, the guidelines recommend that men and boys “reduce their overall intake of protein foods” such as meat, poultry and eggs and add more vegetables to their diets.

“That’s almost half the population, so that’s a big deal,” said Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nutrition advocacy group in Washington.

In response to the guidelines the beef industry commended the government for encouraging lean meat consumption as part of a healthy diet. But it took issue with the suggestion that men and teenage boys were consuming too much protein.

I know you are big on the meat- eating thing but that has health issues too if you consume too much of it as well. Again- moderation.

 

[dannno]

Why? Grains are better for you than sugars. They also added that the average American consumes too much meat which can be harmful for the body.

The key is moderation in all things and variety (don't focus on eating or not eating any single group or category of foods).

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/...-for-all-and-less-meat-for-boys-and-men/?_r=0

If you noticed, I used the word "incredibly" for a reason. Grains might be better for you than sugar (although you might want to have a talk with jj- who I think will adamantly disagree with you), but they are both very bad for you.

The reason they say meat is bad for you is because the majority of livestock in this country eats - you guessed it - grains! Why would it be healthy to eat an animal that eats something unhealthy for its entire life?

That's why it's important to eat wild, grass fed and pastured proteins, grass fed dairy, coconut oil, vegetables and some fruit in moderation.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Excess protein is great for kidney stones. http://www.webmd.com/diet/20010720/prone-to-kidney-stones-watch-what-you-eat

https://www.bulletproofexec.com/the-toxins-in-meat-every-biohacker-paleo-dieter-should-know/

People react to hearing something is bad for you by over-eating something else. Fat was bad so we moved to sugar for flavor. Then sugar was bad so we switched to protein. Turns out that has its own set of problems- like everything- if you consume too much of it. Eat some of everything- not lots of just a few things.

However, even the best sources of protein and fat can be bad for you in excess.

This is virtually unknown in mainstream diets, especially because the misguided “war on fat” encourages people to eat more lean meat. People on low fat, low carb diets by definition eat too much protein. I know this because I spent years doing low carb, moderate fat, moderate protein diets – and felt their effects – before biohacking and health what a high healthy fat diet low in toxins did for my energy, my health, and my cognitive performance.

When you eat too much protein, your body can become overwhelmed by the task of digesting it. Unlike fats, which are cleanly burned in your cells, your body will try to oxidize the excess protein in your liver. This produces several major toxins that can decrease your performance and damage your health. This post will show you how these toxins are formed, what they do to your body, and how to avoid them, yet get enough protein to support optimal health and performance. Let’s examine our first bad guy…

4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE)
This is actually a derivative of oxidized omega-6 fats found in all of your cells. In small amounts, HNE is actually good for your cells. However, too much can cause serious problems. It’s been linked to chronic inflammation and various diseases including diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis, and cognitive decline. Incidentally, this is one reason the Bulletproof Diet also recommends very low omega 6 oil intake.

The problem is that when you consume too much protein, your body is put into a state of inflammation, which drastically increases the fat oxidation in your cells. This tips your body’s production of HNE into the red zone, and overwhelms your cell’s detox pathways. It’s double jeopardy when that protein is red meat from soy and corn-fed animals, which is inconveniently wrapped in extra omega 6 oils. Yuck.

You can also absorb excess HNE from food. Almost all meat has some omega-6’s, and if you overcook it, you produce a ton of HNE toxins. These toxins are absorbed into your tissues and cause all of the problems listed above. In fact, for most people, overcooked meat is an even greater source of HNE than consuming too much protein.
Yet again, this is a reason the Bulletproof Diet recommends carefully cooked meat prepared at lower temperatures. It’s also one reason most studies on meat consumption and health are woefully inadequate – they fail to consider how the meat is cooked.

Malondialdehyde (MDA)
Malondialdehyde is very similar to HNE, in that it’s also produced from the oxidation of fats both inside and outside your cells. Like HNE, MDA damages your DNA and your mitochondria. Overcooking the fat in meat also produces MDA.

Acrolein
When fats in meat and proteins are heated, the glycerol in the fat breaks down into acrolein. Acrolein is another major toxin that is so volatile; it can even irritate the ears, nose and eyes on contact. It’s also a potent carcinogen and mutagen, which cause damage to your mitochondrial DNA. There is evidence that acrolein is one of the most carcinogenic compounds in cigarettes. We use it industrially at 10 parts per million to kill weeds and algae.

Glyoxal
Glyoxal is a form of advanced glycation end product, but it also comes from burned fats and protein. Glyoxal is another potent carcinogen that interrupts cellular signaling and damages your mitochondria. It’s often found in overcooked meat and oils, and is easily absorbed from your food.
Knowing this, do you really want that deep fried chicken wing?

How These Toxins Damage Your Performance

All of these toxins are different, but they share a few common mechanisms that derail your health and performance. They all damage your mitochondria and deplete your glutathione levels.
Your mitochondria are the power plants of your cells, and they’re essential for cognitive function, maintaining muscle mass, and generally being in a state of high performance. When your mitochondria are damaged, your cells don’t process oxygen as efficiently, and don’t metabolize fats or sugars as well.

As Danny Roddy and Ray Peat have writen, when cells aren’t able to process oxygen efficiently, or don’t have enough oxygen, they switch from oxidation to glycolysis, which is far less efficient. This process also produces lactic acid, which places stress on your liver. This can kick start a dangerous cycle where toxins damage your cells, which decreases liver function, which impairs your ability to remove toxins.

These toxins deplete your body of glutathione, which can place another stressor on your liver, and makes this cycle even worse. Glutathione depletion also decreases your cognitive performance, as glutathione is needed to shield your brain from inflammatory agents and other toxins.

 

[euphemia]

People should eat the kind of food they want. I have to steer clear of a lot of things because of food allergies. Back when people are a seasonal, locally grown diet, food allergies were almost unheard of. Because we import so much food and because the government has regulated organic, non GMO food out of existence, we will keep hearing about how dangerous a lot of things are.

 

[dannno]

Excess protein is great for kidney stones. http://www.webmd.com/diet/20010720/prone-to-kidney-stones-watch-what-you-eat

https://www.bulletproofexec.com/the-toxins-in-meat-every-biohacker-paleo-dieter-should-know/

People react to hearing something is bad for you by over-eating something else. Fat was bad so we moved to sugar for flavor. Then sugar was bad so we switched to protein. Turns out that has its own set of problems- like everything- if you consume too much of it. Eat some of everything- not lots of just a few things.

The first link you posted is saying to do exactly what I said - don't eat a low-carb, low-fat diet with your meat intake entailing only lean muscle meats. Yes, it's true, grass fed and wild animals tend to have leaner meats, but you also aren't just supposed to eat the muscle meat. You are supposed to eat the fatty parts of the animal, and the organs which are also high fat. Another reason most paleo folks say to supplement with coconut oil, it's best to eat a HIGH fat, medium protein, low carb diet.

As far as protein causing kidney problems, it's actually a bit more complicated than that and glucose is the primary cause of kidney problems which is precisely what you are telling everybody to eat.

If I wanted to cut to the chase I could boil this whole thing down to the following:

1-Dietary protein DOES NOT CAUSE KIDNEY DAMAGE.

2-Chronically elevated BLOOD GLUCOSE levels DO cause kidney damage.

3-Dietary fructose REALLY causes kidney damage.

4-Many kidney issues have either a hyperinsulinemic characteristic, an autoimmune characteristic, and or a combination of autoimmunity or hyperinsulinism. A standard, low-ish carb paleo diet can fix most of these issues.

5-For serious kidney damage a low-protein, ketogenic diet can be remarkably therapeutic.

6-If you get kidney stones that are from oxalates, reduce your green veggie intake (spinach for example) and have other types of veggies.

7-If you get kidney stones that are from urate salts, you are likely NOT following a low-ish carb paleo diet, you likely have insulin resistance and your liver is not processing uric acid.

http://robbwolf.com/2011/06/16/clearing-up-kidney-confusion-part-deux/


More info and studies:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/protein-kidneys/#axzz3wbboXfwF

 

[Zippyjuan]

Yes, too much glucose can also be a factor in kidney stones though that is more common in diabetic people who have insulin problems. Most people handle glucose just fine. Fruits are mostly fructose- not glucose. "Table sugar" is about half glucose (and sucrose). Not enough fiber (complex carbs or grains- fruits can also provide fiber) can also be another factor.

http://www.smartnutrition.co.uk/conditions/urinary-health/kidney-stones/

Contributing factors

Dehydration – Not consuming enough water leads to more concentrated urine. The more concentrated the urine the greater the chance of forming kidney stones. Gradually increasing your water consumption can help to dilute the urine and reduce the prevalence of stone formation

Poor diet – A diet low in fibre and high in protein creates a lot of work for the kidneys and can contribute to stone formation. In addition there are certain foods such as those containing substances called oxalates and purines that can increase the chance stone formation. If you suffer from kidney stones or have a family history of the condition you might like to talk to a nutritional therapist who can advise you on the best diet for kidney health.

Mineral imbalance – An excess of the mineral calcium or improper distribution of calcium in the body can also contribute to kidney stones. Mineral imbalances can be detected using a hair mineral analysis. The results can then be interpreted by Smart Nutrition who will help you make the necessary dietary adjustments to ensure proper calcium utilisation. Hair Mineral Analysis.

Blood sugar imbalance – When you eat starchy/sweet foods or alcohol they are broken down in the body into a sugar called glucose. This is carried around in the blood stream and taken to cells which use it for energy. The level of glucose is the blood is carefully controlled by a hormone called insulin. After we eat, the amount of glucose in the blood rises. Insulin is released to bring blood glucose levels back down to ‘normal’ levels. However, if blood sugar rises too rapidly, the body can end up releasing too much insulin. This causes the blood sugar to swing to low again, making us feel tired, grumpy and hungry again. This is sometimes referred to as the blood sugar rollercoaster. One of the downsides of excess insulin is that is causes extra calcium to be lost in the urine. This extra calcium has to go out via the kidneys, increasing the risk of stone formation. If you suffer from the symptoms associated with blood sugar imbalance you should consider a nutrition consultation to get advice on how to even out you blood sugar levels. Book a Consultation.

Urinary Tract Infections – One type of kidney stone can form during a urinary tract infection. If you suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections such as cystitis, you’re at greater risk of forming this kind of stone. Luckily there are many natural ways in which you can support a healthy urinary tract and decrease the risk of infections. Book a Consultation.

Smoking – Cigarettes contain the toxic metal cadmium which has been linked to kidney stone formation. Avoiding smoking is a key consideration for kidney stone sufferers, but not always an easy step to take. Working with a nutritional therapist can be of great support during the process of quitting smoking. With the help of diet and supplements it is possible to reduce cravings and support the body in its move to a healthier state.

https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/kidneystones

What can I do to decrease the risk of kidney stones?

Drinking enough fluid will help keep your urine less concentrated with waste products. Darker urine is more concentrated, so your urine should appear very light yellow to clear if you are well hydrated. Most of the fluid you drink should be water. Most people should drink more than 12 glasses of water a day. Water is better than soda, sports drinks or coffee/tea. lf you exercise or if it is hot outside, you should drink more. Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup should be limited to small quantities.

Eat more fruits and vegetables, which make the urine less acid. When the urine is less acid, then stones may be less able to form. Animal protein produces urine that has more acid, which can then increase your risk for kidney stones.

You can reduce excess salt in your diet. What foods are high in salt? Everyone thinks of salty potato chips and French fries. Those should be rarely eaten. There are other products that are salty: sandwich meats, canned soups, packaged meals, and even sports drinks.

You want to try to get to a normal weight if you are overweight. But, high-protein weight loss diets that include high amounts of animal-based protein, as well as crash diets can add to the risk of stone formation. You need adequate protein, but it needs to be part of a balanced diet. Seek guidance from a registered dietitian when embarking on a weight loss diet or any dietary interventions to reduce the risk of kidney stones.

 

[danda]

Free advice. You are most likely chronically de-hydrated, like most people. Chronic de-hydration leads to chronic illnesses of many types, cholesterol, etc. Drink more water. especially drink it 30 minutes before eating. ingest sea-salt daily. avoid sodas, juices, coffee. coffee especially dehydrates you.

read for yourself: watercure.com
Book: You're not sick. You're Thirsty. -- Your Body's Many Cries for Water

 

[dannno]

Free advice. You are most likely chronically de-hydrated, like most people. Chronic de-hydration leads to chronic illnesses of many types, cholesterol, etc. Drink more water. especially drink it 30 minutes before eating. ingest sea-salt daily. avoid sodas, juices, coffee. coffee especially dehydrates you.

read for yourself: watercure.com
Book: You're not sick. You're Thirsty. -- Your Body's Many Cries for Water

Remember what Dead Prez says - don't drink water out da tap cuz it's filthy

I drink RO water that I get from a reputable water store - they have distilled which would be nice but it's a bit more expensive. My backup is just one of those RO dispensers they have at grocery stores for about $.30/gallon

I just started adding ConcenTrace minerals to my RO water again to remineralize it. I ran out a while ago, haven't been doing it and finally just got some more.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Looked at a chemical analysis for ConcenTrace. http://www.traceminerals.com/pdfs/TMR_cert-of-analysis_TMD.pdf

Amounts are nearly zero except for Calcium, Chloride and Magnesium. Basically a calcium chloride salt (which is used for salting roads). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_chloride

Aluminum (7.7) and Fluoluride (4) and phosphorus (7.7) are the only other ones present at more than one part per million. Adding it to water dilutes the amounts even further.

It says half tsp to a gallon of water- one gallon has 1,536 half teaspoons so the parts per million need to be divided by 1,536 to get the final amounts of "trace elements" which drops them down to less than one part per billion- nutritionally insignificant amounts.

 

[TheNewYorker]

Cutting sugar is just common sense...


Look at nature. Getting sugar is hard and nature designed it that way. Try getting honey out of a beehive without getting stung or sugar out of sugarcane without breaking your teeth

 

[farreri]

Grains might be better for you than sugar, but they are both very bad for you.

The longest living and healthiest people in the world will disagree with you.

The reason they say meat is bad for you is because the majority of livestock in this country eats - you guessed it - grains! Why would it be healthy to eat an animal that eats something unhealthy for its entire life?

Um, the reason meat is so bad is because we eat so much of it.

and some fruit in moderation.

lol, yeah fruits the real killer. I guess it was the devil who created all those trees with easy to pick delicious tasty fruit hanging from them to tempt us humans!

You've been reading too much Paleo nonsense, my friend.

 

[farreri]

Cutting sugar is just common sense... Look at nature. Getting sugar is hard and nature designed it that way. Try getting honey out of a beehive without getting stung or sugar out of sugarcane without breaking your teeth

Or catching animals with your hands, rocks, or sticks, or squeezing out coconut oil.

 

[farreri]

more common in diabetic people who have insulin problems.

Caused by too much saturated fat and oils.

Most people handle glucose just fine. Fruits are mostly fructose- not glucose. "Table sugar" is about half glucose (and sucrose). Not enough fiber (complex carbs or grains- fruits can also provide fiber) can also be another factor.

Sugar is sugar. Eating it with high fat or low fiber foods or drink is what causes it to be a problem. Sugar has basically been the scapegoat.

 

[Chester Copperpot]

another govt report fails again.. what a surprise...salt is important for people to eat as are saturated fats.. just not the typical salt and fats we find in the supermarket because theyre not real foods... all those polyunsaturated oils in the last line are incredibly harmful fractionated foods... eat whole foods not fractionated foods.. eat land animals that feed on grass and sea animals that live in the ocean..

dont eat sick animals and dont eat sick plants. (unless you want to be sick)


and danno is right... eat the whole animal not just the muscle meats/

 

[Yieu]

For once, it seems that a government report manages to get something right. I am quite surprised. It should be rather obvious that having less red meat, which can cause cancer, and having more vegetables, which can fight cancer, are healthy choices to make.

 

[dannno]

The longest living and healthiest people in the world will disagree with you.

Uh, no the oldest people usually come out and talk about how much bacon they eat every day.

Um, the reason meat is so bad is because we eat so much of it.

No, as I said it is because the meat we eat comes from unhealthy animals that eat grains. Carbs cause all sorts of disease, mostly related to inflammation because carbs are inflammatory. Grains and sugar by itself have little to no nutrient content.

lol, yeah fruits the real killer. I guess it was the devil who created all those trees with easy to pick delicious tasty fruit hanging from them to tempt us humans!

You've been reading too much Paleo nonsense, my friend.

Actually humans created pretty much all of the fruit and vegetables we have today. 10k years ago, most of that fruit was NOT very sweet at all and had a lot of seeds until we came along and decided to breed fruit for its sweetness and fiber content. Humans largely had a difficult time finding very many carbs before 10k years ago.

Sorry, you are the one buying the government paradigm on diet nonsense.

 

[dannno]

Caused by too much saturated fat and oils.

That's such horse shit, diabetes is caused by carbs eating away at your insulin response.. I went paleo about 3.5 years ago and at the same time one of my friends decided to go on a low fat, high carb diet for lifting. I told him he was going to get diabetes. He got really big because he was able to give a constant energy source to his muscles and work them really hard, and ate just enough protein to help them grow. He gained about 60 lbs of muscle mass and has become huge.

My resting blood glucose has gone down to about 80, and his went up over 100 and he is now pre-diabetic according to his doctor. He is starting to take my dietary advice.